Intermittent Phone Fasting

It seems everyone is doing intermittent fasting as a diet or get-healthy plan these days.

You know, the thing where you only eat between about noon and 8 p.m.?

Well, how about another type of intermittent fasting? How about fasting from your phone for certain hours every day?

This would mean you only use your phone for a few hours at a time throughout the day. You thereby avoid insulting your friends by answering calls and texts while you are with them, and you actually concentrate on your family when you are at meals—and, as an added benefit, you stop getting in trouble with your boss for being on your phone during work hours!

It’s an idea whose time has come.

Believe me!

We all know that it’s no good for babies to have you on your phone while you’re nursing or playing together.

We also all know it’s not good for kids to see you on your phone when they need you to look at them and tell them how great it is that they can run, jump, draw, or pull down the curtains so well.

And we all know it’s not good for your relationship with your partner when you’re supposed to be cuddling, but actually, you’re looking at your phone.

I could go on. But you get the idea.

How about letting yourself gorge on your phone for a few hours a few times a day? You decide when the best times of day for you are. Perhaps you can designate several blocks of time each day: before you get out of bed, during lunchtime at your desk, or after your kids go to sleep. And the rest of the time, you put it away!

Turn it off.

Don’t get alerts, dings, twangs, or alarms.

Just turn it off!

I know this is radical. I also know you've heard it before. But how about actually trying it? How about being more intentional about when and how you use your phone? How about finally trying to do this?

Perhaps you could try getting a friend to do it with you. Or a group of friends. You could let each other know that you won't be answering texts or calls at certain times of the day. Perhaps you can get your partner or spouse in on it. Perhaps you can even post on social media that you are doing this—so that people won't be insulted when they don't hear back from you immediately or when you don't "like" their posts within minutes of them going live.

Most calls, most texts, and absolutely all social media posts are not emergencies. They don't need to be answered right away. We often forget this because we are so in the habit of texting or liking right back.

And if you do try intermittent phone fasting, I guarantee the following:

1. You will feel less distracted and harried.
2. You will feel less overwhelmed.
3. Your children will feel better and more nurtured.
4. Your partner and/or friends will like you better.
5. You will actually get a few things done.
6. You will feel proud of yourself for wasting less time.

Good luck! And if you get hungry with all this fasting, just eat a little popcorn.